System and method for facilitating transaction data retrieval

ABSTRACT

In certain embodiments, transaction data retrieval from a postage vendor system database may be facilitated (e.g., via label generation with multiple barcode representations of a portion of a postage tracking identifier, where the tracking identifier is generated based on a carrier-specific tracking identifier unique within a carrier system with respect to accounts recognized by the carrier system). In some embodiments, the tracking identifier may be generated such that (i) the tracking identifier comprises the carrier-specific tracking identifier and (ii) enables a mail piece associated with a postage transaction to be tracked within the carrier system, and the tracking identifier portion is allocated to the postage transaction in one or more databases of the vendor system. An indicium identifier may be generated to comprise the tracking identifier portion, thereby enabling the vendor system to identify the postage transaction using one of the two identifiers without the other one of the identifiers.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/842,695, filed Jul. 23, 2010, which is based on and claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/229,181, filedJul. 28, 2009, the entire contents of each application is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to transaction data retrieval andprocessing, including, for example, retrieval and processing of postagetransaction data.

Discussion of Related Art

Centralized, internet-based postage systems have achieved wideacceptance since their conception in the mid-1990's. U.S. Pat. No.6,005,945 to Whitehouse describes in detail internet-based postagesystems and methods. In this model, rather than having independent,stand-alone electro-mechanical postage meters located throughout thecountry, an array of equivalent “virtual meters” is maintained in adatabase at a centralized server site. Each postage transaction uses asecure communication from the end user to the centralized server site.This type of system generates a centralized database of indicium and, inthe case of shipping labels, associated tracking database thatencompasses a whole mailing and shipping behavior of a plurality ofusers (e.g., hundreds of thousands of users). Another aspect of PC-basedpostage is the serialization of each postage indicium. Each indicium hasa unique combination of account number and serial number (also referredto as “piece count” in the mailing industry). This idea is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,319,562 and reiterated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,945.

Returned goods represent a substantial percentage of packages shippedworldwide. The term “Reverse Logistics” has been coined to describe thissector of the shipping industry. FIG. 1 shows a conventional U.S. PostalService Merchandise Return Label (MRL). This type of label can bedistributed in bulk. For example, the return labels can be provided inthe box of each order shipped by a shipper (e.g., Amazon.com). The costof each label is only a few fractions of a cent. Hence, the shipper(e.g., Amazon.com) does not incur an important expense. Only a fewpercent of the packages sent out will require the MRL and the U.S.Postal Service only charges for the labels actually placed in the mailstream, i.e., the labels used. Often the “From” address is not filledout, as it is optional. However, the delivery address references the“Postage Due Unit” at the receiving Post Office.

As shown in FIG. 1, the return label includes a series of horizontalblack bars (in this case 7 bars) under the permit box “NO POSTAGENECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES”. These bars are a visual queueto USPS operations that some accounting must be done on this piece.These same horizontal bars are also used on a reply postcard in amagazine. This is the only visual queue provided to the USPS so thelabel can be accounted for. These bars are detected by the human eye,not a machine. If these bars are not seen or detected and accounted for,the USPS will lose the revenue associated with the mail piece on whichthe label is applied.

Merchandise Return Labels are historically paid for via a USPS permit.For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the Merchandise Return Label is paidfor using permit 307 issued by the Los Angeles Main Post Office. Whenreturned packages are received at the Postage Due unit, they aremanually weighed and the appropriate rate is computed. The rate musttake into account the origin and the destination in most cases becauserates are normally “zone based.” Each piece is then manually logged intoa computer system so that the permit holder (e.g., Amazon.com) can havefunds deducted from their permit account.

To acquire a permit, the account holder must pay an annual fee for thepermit, as well as an annual accounting fee. In addition, the accountholder is charged a surcharge over normal rates for each package.Therefore, this is an expensive option for both the account holder andthe Postal Service.

Another heavily used but highly manual system employed by the U.S. PostOffice is the Express Mail Corporate Account (EMCA). Many mailers stilluse the original multi-part Express Mail form shown in FIG. 2. Inaddition, since typewriters have disappeared from most homes andoffices, these Express Mail forms are almost always filled out by hand.The label is accompanied by some form of postage payment, a meter stripfrom a retail post office counter, a conventional postage meter stripapplied by the customer, conventional stamps or simply an Express MailCorporate Account (EMCA) number.

Express Mail goes through a formal acceptance process at the inductionpost office (PO). The PO employee will weigh the package and input theweight of the package, along with the delivery address and trackingbarcode number into a retail Post Office terminal. Even if the ExpressMail piece is dropped in a street mail box (blue box), the origin PO hasa responsibility to enter this information. In the case of payment byEMCA, the PO employee will enter that along with the other information.However, there is no way to tell at the time of induction if the EMCAaccount is valid or it belongs to the mailer. Furthermore, the processis highly manual, with carbon copies being removed and saved by theinduction PO as well as those responsible for final billing.

Some mailers have begun switching to a single ply version of the ExpressMail label which can be computer generated. An example of a conventionalcomputer generated mail express label is shown in FIG. 3. The postagepayment methods are typically a PC postage Information Based Indicium(IBI), a conventional meter strip, a retail PO counter strip orconventional stamps. However, this particular label format currentlycannot be used for EMCA mailings. The EMCA approach is functionallyidentical to the permit based system of FIG. 1. Essentially, the maileropens and maintains an account with the post office (either permit orEMCA) and funds are deducted from this account when relevant “reply”mail pieces are manually detected in the mail stream.

A prepaid return label printing solution for Priority and Express maillabels has been introduced by Endicia Internet Postage (circa 2004). Thesoftware logic essentially reverses the return address and deliveryaddress of what would be normal Priority Mail label. It adds the legend“No Postage Stamp Necessary” and removes the postmark date (since theinduction date will generally be unknown). The postage is properlycomputed by taking into account the postal zones.

This computer image may be emailed to a customer or displayed on a Website, and provides a quick and easy way for a vendor to supply a prepaidreturn label. Because this is completely prepaid, there is no permitfee, no accounting fee, no delay at the receiving post office, and nomanual accounting required.

The limitation of this type of return label is that the postage has beenprepaid by the PC postage account holder. If this label is not used, thepostage is essentially wasted. Therefore, this label concept is wellsuited for customer interactions where the merchant is quite certain thecustomer will be returning the goods. These types of customers aregenerally easy to identify by either call center or Web siteinteractions. However, the limitation remains as the postage is consumedwhen the postage label is printed.

Those unfamiliar with the operational of National Posts may question whythe revenue collection for return shipping labels is such a difficultproblem. National Posts or Postal Services like USPS have operated witha prepaid model for hundreds of years. However, in the prepaid returnshipping labels, each mail piece has to provide an indication that thepostage has already been paid via some method such as stamps, metermark, PC postage indicium, permit account, EMCA, etc. There is no “afterthe fact” billing. National Post delivery networks are generally pointto point, as opposed to FedEx® or UPS™. That is, if a package originatesin San Francisco (SF), Calif. and is going to Los Angeles (LA), Calif.,the package will likely be trucked or flown directly from SF to LA.

In contrast, FedEx® and UPS™ operate hub systems where all packages flowthrough a single hub facility. With a hub system, one can be assuredthat each and every package will be processed by automated scanningsystems at the hub, and the processing scans will result in the finalbilling to the shipper. Hence, the same SF to LA package, if forinstance handled by FedEx®, would be flown to Memphis, Tenn. on thefirst evening and then flown from Memphis to LA the next morning.

The present invention addresses various issues relating to the above andother issues with conventional approaches.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In some embodiments, transaction data retrieval from a postage vendorsystem database may be facilitated. In some embodiments, transactiondata retrieval may be facilitated via label generation with multiplebarcode representations of a portion of a postage tracking identifier,where the postage tracking identifier is generated based on acarrier-specific tracking identifier unique within a carrier system withrespect to accounts recognized by the carrier system. In someembodiments, the postage tracking identifier may be generated such that(i) the postage tracking identifier comprises the carrier-specifictracking identifier and (ii) enables a mail piece associated with apostage transaction to be tracked within the carrier system, and thetracking identifier portion is allocated to the postage transaction inone or more databases of the vendor system. An indicium identifier maybe generated to comprise the postage tracking identifier portion,thereby enabling the vendor system to identify the postage transactionusing one of the two identifiers without the other one of theidentifiers.

These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the presentinvention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of therelated elements of structure and the combination of parts and economiesof manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. In one embodiment of the invention, the structuralcomponents illustrated herein are drawn to scale. It is to be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration and description only and are not intended as a definitionof the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in theclaims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional merchandise return label postagelabel;

FIG. 2 is a view of a conventional express mail label used by the U.S.postal service;

FIG. 3 is a view of a conventional computer generated express maillabel;

FIG. 4 is a view of a printed prepaid return label, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a schematic diagram for creating a mail label andprocessing mail having the mail label in the mail stream, according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting the various steps for processing mailin the mail stream, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a schematic diagram for creating a mail label andprocessing the mail piece having the mail label in the mail stream,according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting the various steps for processing mailin the mail stream, according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a file management system,according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a view of a printed USPS Priority Mail® label having atracking barcode, according to an embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 11 depicts a computer system for processing a mailing label,according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present disclosure focuses on the extension of theinternet postage model and revises the mechanism, and particularly thetiming, of customer payments for use of the postal delivery service. Oneimmediate use of an embodiment of the present invention is in the areaof “reply postage.” However, it should be appreciated that, the presentmethod and system is also applicable to all types of postagetransactions. According to one embodiment, the method or system of thepresent invention can create a mail piece (e.g., a shipping label) witha serialized indicium associated with a given customer account, but withan assigned indicium having a value of $0.00. When the mail piece isinducted into the mail stream, an operational scan or operational scansof postage barcode and/or tracking barcode are reported back to thecentralized postage system. The operational scan(s) can optionallyidentify the induction point and the delivery point. The class of mailis typically known and established at the time of printing the mailpiece. The weight is either recorded at induction, measured during an inprocess weigh/scan operation, or irrelevant in the case of usingweight-independent mail class (e.g., an Express Mail Flat Rate Box).When the scan information is received by the centralized postage systemoperation, the correct postage can then be computed and charged to ordeducted from the end-user's postage account.

This method and system can replace the manual process used by the postalservice for reply mail. For the U.S. Postal Service, the method andsystem described herein can be used to replace the Express MailCorporate Account (EMCA) and the Merchandize Return Label Service (MRLS)programs. The method and system described herein allow, for example, thecreation and distribution of numerous serialized shipping labels withoutactually incurring the upfront cost of the postage indicium. As aresult, this can provide cost savings for the shipper (e.g., Amazon.com)as the mailing label does have a monetary value attached or assigned toit until it is used in the course of shipping a package or sending mailfrom point A to point B. The method and system can also allow forpre-addressed labels, or labels where the destination address is filledout by hand while a person is on travel. The process does not deduct orcharge actual funds from the customer's account until the mail piece isactually being processed by the postal service (e.g., Post Office).

In accordance with one embodiment, a centralized postage system isemployed to create reply labels similar to the reply labels shown inFIG. 4. FIG. 5 depicts a schematic diagram for creating a mail label andprocessing mail having the mail label in the mail stream, according toan embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flow chart depictingthe various steps for processing mail in the mail stream, according toan embodiment of the invention. Referring to both FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, auser interface implemented by software executed by a computer 10 allowsthe account holder to create a label 14 by using a printer 12 connectedto the computer 10, at S10. The label 14 contains a tracking barcode 14Aand a postage value indicium 14B, such as a two dimensional postage IBI(information based indicia) barcode, representing a given mail class(first class mail, priority mail, express mail, etc.). The generatedpostage value indicium (e.g., an IBI indicium) has a zero valuation(i.e., $0), but is assigned a unique piece count or serialized indiciumand treated like any other indicium. No funds are charged or deductedfrom the postage balance at the account of the user residing at thepostage provider facility 16 or centralized postage system 16 of thepostage vendor for creating the reply label 14 or printing the replylabel 14.

If and when the reply label is inducted in the mail stream (depicted inFIG. 5 as a street postal service mail box) at S20, the label is scannedby the postal service operations using a scanner 20, at S30. The labelmay be scanned at numerous points along its delivery cycle. In oneembodiment, the label can be for example scanned one, two or more times,for example at delivery, and at various times as the mail associatedwith the label traverses the postal service operational system. Thescanned information including the tracking barcode (e.g., a 1D barcode)14A and optionally the postage value indicium (e.g., a IBI barcode suchas 2D barcode) 14B and the weight of the mail piece are sent to thecentralized database of central mail facility or postal service 22(e.g., USPS Package Tracking System (PTS), at S40. The central mailfacility 22 provides the tracking barcode (e.g., 1D barcode) 14A scansand optionally the postage value indicium (e.g., IBI barcode such as a2D barcode) 14B scans to the centralized mail system 16 of postagevendor, for example, in a FTP file, as S50. As stated above, the postagevalue indicium (e.g., 2D barcode) 14B may include a serialized indiciumor piece count. The postage value indium 14B may further include aportion of the tracking barcode 14A. For example, in one embodiment,postage value indicium 14B may include the last 9-digits of the trackingbarcode 14A. In this case, scanning the tracking barcode 14A and/or thepostage value barcode can identify a transaction that created the label.The tracking barcode 14A can be a “delivery confirmation” barcode inUSPS First Class or Priority Mail or “an express mail tracking code” inUSPS Express Mail, or a “customs barcode” in an international customsform. In one embodiment, the scanned information including the trackingbarcode (e.g., 1D barcode) 14A is provided to the centralized mailsystem 16 of the postage vendor in nearly real time. In anotherembodiment, the files can be provided on an hourly basis using, forexample, FTP protocols from the USPS Package Tracking System (PTS) tothe centralized postage system 16 of the postage vendor. Typically, agiven postage label will see multiple in-transit scan reports and willalways show at minimum a delivery scan. For Express Mail, the scan rateis extensive and includes the acceptance scan at induction, numerous inprocess scans, and a delivery scan with potentially a signature capture.In other words, it can be assumed with near certainty that any labelinducted in the mail stream will be detected and reported back to thepostage vendor.

When mail stream information is received at the centralized postagesystem of the postage vendor (e.g., in a form of a FTP file), thepostage vendor computes the appropriate postage cost for thistransaction, at S60 and creates another transaction against the mailer'saccount, at S70. This results in no printed output, but simply addsanother indicium record to the account's postage history.

The return labels can be pre-addressed (as shown for example in FIG. 4)or, alternatively, the delivery address can be left blank. In the latercase, the mail class and serialized indicium (within the IBI indicium)would be the major element of the postage label. Several of thesepreprinted labels could be taken on a business trip by the accountholder and that person could simply write the delivery address by handwhen he/she needs to ship material somewhere. In this case, the trackinginformation would be used to determine the origin ZIP and delivery ZIPfor postage computation. The weight would be captured at acceptance ofthe mail (for example at a counter of a post office), or would not berequired in the event the mailer used on of the flat rate packages, suchas for example Priority Mail Boxes, available from the USPS.

In this embodiment, billing by the postal service or authority can beaccomplished automatically based on the normal in-process and deliveryscans. The creator of these labels can produce them without anyimmediate financial impact, as he or she is only charged for postagewhen the label is actually used.

In another embodiment, the method or system of the present invention cancreate a mail piece (e.g., a return shipping label) with a serializedpostage value indicium associated with a fictitiously funded account oran account with faux or fictitious money. FIG. 7 depicts a schematicdiagram for creating a mail label and processing the mail piece havingthe mail label in the mail stream, according to another embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting the varioussteps for processing mail in the mail stream, according to anotherembodiment of the invention. Referring to both FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, thefictitiously funded account is created by the postage vendor (e.g.,Endicia) at the centralized postage system 30 of the postage vendor andassociated with the user or mailer's account at the postage centralizedsystem 30, at S100. For example, the fictitiously funded account can beused in the case where the postal service that delivers the mailrequires the presence of a monetary value (different from zero) on thepostage of mail. For example, it is known that the USPS requirespre-payment for postage in order to deliver mail inducted in the mailstream.

A user interface implemented by software executed by a computer 32 ofthe account holder allows the account holder to create a mail label 34by using a printer 36 connected to the computer 32, at S120. The maillabel (e.g., a return shipping label) 34 may include a postage valueindicium (e.g., an IBI indicium such as a 2D barcode) 34A. The maillabel may include a tracking code (e.g., in a form of a barcode) 34B.The postage value indicium 34A may include a serialized indicium (e.g.,a piece count). The postage value indicium 34A may include a portion ofthe tracking barcode 34B. For example, in one embodiment, postage valueindicium 34A may include the last 9-digits of the tracking barcode 14A.In this case, scanning the tracking barcode 34B and/or the postage valueindicium can identify the transaction that created the label. Thetracking barcode 34B can be a “delivery confirmation” barcode in USPSFirst Class pr Priority Mail or “an express mail tracking code” in USPSExpress Mail. The postage value indicium (e.g., IBI indicium) 34A mayindicate a postage amount (e.g., $4.50). This postage amount is drawnfrom the fictitiously fundable account, i.e., the account with faux orfictitious money. In other words, the postage amount (e.g., $4.50) isnot drawn from an account reflective of real money. The fictitiouslyfundable account can be loaded with a desired, fictitious, sum of funds,such as for example $100,000. The postage amount ($4.50) is debited fromthis sum of funds in the fictitiously funded account (e.g., $100,000) to“pay” for the postage of the mailing label (e.g., a return mailing orshipping label).

In this way, when the mail piece is inducted into the mail stream(represented in FIG. 7 by a street mail postal mail box 38), at S120,the postal service (e.g., USPS) operations performs operational scans ofpostage indicia (e.g., postage barcode such as a 2D barcode) 34A and/ortracking indicia (e.g., a tracking barcode such as a 1D barcode) 34Busing scanner 40, at S130. The label 34 may be scanned at numerouspoints along its delivery cycle by the postal service operations. In oneembodiment, the label 34 can be for example scanned one, two or moretimes, for example at delivery, and at various times as the mailassociated with the label traverses the postal service operationalsystem. The scanned information including the tracking barcode (e.g., a1D barcode) 34B and optionally the postage value indicium 34A andoptionally the weight of the mail piece are sent to the centralizeddatabase of postal service 42 (e.g., USPS Package Tracking System), atS140. The scanned information is reported back to the centralizedpostage system 30 of the postage vendor (e.g., Endicia). The centralmail facility 22 provides the tracking barcode 34B and optionally thepostage value indicium (e.g., 2D barcode) 34A scans to the centralizedmail system 30 of the postage vendor. For example, in the case of theUSPS, the USPS Package Tracking System (PTS) sends scanned data to thecentralized postage system of the postage vendor in a form of a FTP filevia FTP. The postal service will detect that the mail piece has theappropriate postage amount (e.g., $4.50) when the postal serviceperforms operational scans. As stated above, the weight can be eitherrecorded at induction, measured during an in process weigh/scanoperation, or irrelevant in the case of using weight-independent mailclass (e.g., an Express Mail Flat Rate Box or Priority Mail Flat RateBox). When the scan information is received at the centralized postagesystem operation 30 of the postage vendor, at S150, the centralizedpostage system creates a transaction indicia that is associated with thereturn label having the postage value that was drawn from thefictitiously funded account (e.g., $4.50), at S160. The transactionindicia is not printed on any label but is simply electronicallyassociated or registered with the mailer's or user's real or actuallyfunded account. The real account of the user is associated with thecredit card of the user, the financial credential of the user, or actualfunded dollars held of the benefit of the user. Therefore, the user'sreal account is funded with real money, or has credit or access to realmoney, so that the account can be actually billed or charged. Thepostage value (e.g., $4.50) is charged to or deducted or debited fromthe user's real account as real money (for example, debited from theuser's credit card), at S170. In one embodiment, in the case of the USPSfor example, the transaction indicia can then be sent electronically tothe postal service USPS to inform the USPS that real money was withdrawnfrom the user's real account so as to comply with USPS auditrequirements.

In one embodiment, the fictitiously funded account is credited with thepostage value (e.g., $4.50) but with fictitious or faux money. Inanother embodiment, the fictitiously funded account is not credited withthe postage value (e.g., $4.50). In this case, the amount of faux moneyin the fictitiously funded account will decrease with usage of postageby the user. At one point, however, the fictitiously funded account mayneed to be replenished with fictitious or faux money to avoid a negativeamount of funds in the fictitiously funded account as the postal servicerequires that the fictitiously funded account carries an amount of fundsthat is greater than zero in order to be able to print indicia with acertain postage value on a mailing label (e.g., a return mail label).

For the U.S. Postal Service, the method and system described hereincould replace, for example, the Merchandize Return Label Service (MRLS)programs. An example using a mortgage application may be used toillustrate one, non-limiting use of the method and system describedherein. For example, a mortgage company (i.e., the user having a realaccount and a fictitiously funded account set up at the centralizedpostage system of the postage vendor) can send numerous mortgageapplication packets for a mortgage to potential customers. For example,on one hand the mortgage company (the user) will pay upfront with realmoney withdrawn from its real account (i.e., an account having realmoney) for the postage of each of the mailing labels of each mortgageapplication packet to mail the mortgage applications. On the other hand,however, the mortgage company (the user) will pay with fictitious orfaux money withdrawn from the fictitiously funded account for a returnlabel included with the mortgage application packet. In this way, themortgage company will not incur any mailing costs until a return labelis used by the potential customer of the mortgage company (i.e., untilthe potential customer of the mortgage company returns a completedapplication packet). The other return labels that are not inducted inthe mail stream (because the applicant never completes and returns thepacket) will not be charged to the mortgage company's real account, asthey are printed with faux money. Only a return label that is actuallyused to return a completed application packet to the mortgage company(or its associates) is detected in the mail stream and thus isassociated with the mortgage company's real account as described indetail above.

In order to determine which scanned tracking codes (e.g., in a form of anumber, a barcode, or other indicia) among a plurality of scannedtracking codes 34B in a plurality of a labels should trigger a paymentat the centralized postage system 30 of the postage vendor, a filemanagement system and method is used to determine which label(s) withtracking code(s) are created and “paid for” by a account funded withfictitious money. In one embodiment, the management system and methodcan perform the above by logging every tracking code 34B which iscreated using the account funded with fictitious money into a databaseand checking every postal service scan event by comparing every postalservice scan event to the logged tracking codes 34B in the database todetermine if a scanned tracking barcode is one created using the accountfunded with fictitious money.

In another embodiment, the management system and method can perform theabove by issuing tracking codes with a specific range of numbers. Forexample, when a label is created using the account funded withfictitious money, the system issues tracking codes from a subset of thepostage vendor's tracking codes. This allows a faster identification ofa scan event that scans a tracking code “paid for” by a fictitiousaccount. Rather than checking the whole database of all the postagevendor's tracking codes, the system determines if a specific trackingcode “paid for” by the fictitious account falls within a specified rangeor sub-set of tracking codes. For example, this can be implemented forexpress mail labels of the USPS.

In another embodiment, the system and method can determine which scannedtracking codes or tracking barcodes 34B among a plurality of scannedtracking codes or tracking barcodes 34B in a plurality of labels shouldtrigger a payment at the centralized postage system 30, by using apostal service issued mail identification number (MID) in which aspecific MID number is assigned for labels 34 paid by the account withfictitious money. In one embodiment, the MID is a 6 to 9 digit numberwhich is used in the delivery confirmation type tracking code 34B. FIG.10 depicts an example of USPS PRIORITY MAIL® label including a trackingcode 34B. The tracking code or tracking barcode 34B includes the MIDnumber (e.g., 148008600). In one embodiment, the MID number is placedaround a middle portion of the tracking code 34B. Hence, by using aunique MID number to construct the tracking code for labels paid by theaccount funded with fictitious money, the labels paid by the accountfunded with fictitious money can easily be identified hence flagged forpayment by an account funded by real money, as described in the aboveparagraphs.

In yet another embodiment, the system and method can determine whichscanned tracking codes or tracking barcodes 34B among a plurality ofscanned tracking codes or tracking barcodes 34B in a plurality of labelsshould trigger a payment at the centralized postage system 30, by usinga postal service issued general purpose mail identification number (MID)and/or a client mailer identification number (CMID). The general purposeMID number assigned to the postage vendor by the postal service can beused to construct the tracking code 34B. Alternatively or in addition,the unique CMID number can be assigned to a given postage account openedat the centralized postage system 30 of the postage vendor. The CMIDnumber can also be used in constructing tracking codes 34B for thatgiven postage account. This unique postage account with the CMID numbercan be, for example, a postage account of a client of the postagevendor. Alternatively, this postage account with the CMID number can bean account of the postage vendor reserved for a particular use such as,for example, reserved for labels with tracking codes “paid for” by theaccount funded with fictitious money. In any case, the postage vendoruploads into or sends to a computer system of the postal service (e.g.,USPS) 42, a postage vendor file containing all tracking codes of alllabels created during a certain time period (e.g., one day, two days, 12hours, 6 hours, etc.). The uploaded postage vendor file has a headerrecord containing the general purpose MID number assigned to the postagevendor by the postal service. On this file are logged all the trackingcodes used during that time period. The tracking codes recorded in thispostage vendor file contain at least the MID number assigned to thepostage vendor. In this way, the postal service (e.g., USPS) knows thatall the tracking codes in this file with the header MID number “belong”to the postage vendor.

When the postal service 42 detects a label having a tracking codecontaining the MID number during a field scan event, the postal service42 records that tracking code 34B into a first file (e.g., an FTP file)that the postage vendor can retrieve or download. Alternatively, insteadof the first file being retrieved or downloaded by the postage provider30, the postal service can send the first file to the postage provider.In addition, at least a portion (i.e., one or more) of the trackingcodes recorded in the postage vendor file may further contain the CMIDnumber. When a label having a tracking code containing the CMID number(in addition to the general purpose MID number) is detected during afield scan event, the postal service 42 records the detected trackingcode including the CMID number into a second file (e.g. a second FTPfile). The second file containing the tracking code including the CMIDnumber can be retrieved by or sent to a client of the postage vendor.Alternatively, the second file (e.g., a second FTP file) containing thetracking code including the CMID number can be retrieved by the postagevendor. In this way, the postage vendor can easily distinguish thescanned tracking codes having the general purpose MID number from thescanned tracking codes having, in addition to the MID number, the CMIDnumber such as scanned tracking codes paid for by the account fundedwith fictitious money. In this way, scanned tracking codes that are paidfor by the account funded by fictitious money can be isolated forfurther processing as described in the above paragraphs.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a file management system,according to an embodiment of the present invention. The centralizedpostage system 30 of the postage vendor is provided with one or moremailer identification numbers MID and/or one or more clientidentification numbers CMID by the postal service 42. The centralizedpostage system 30 manages a plurality of accounts of a plurality ofusers. The plurality of users are assigned different account numbersAN1, AN2, AN3, etc. Each user has at least one account. For example, themortgage company (one of the users) 44 uses its account (for exampleAN2) set up at the postage vendor's centralized postage system 30 tofund its mortgage application campaign. All tracking codes created bythe postage vendor during a certain time period (e.g., one day) arelogged into a postage vendor file (e.g., an FTP file) 54. The postagevendor file 54 is assigned the mailer identification number MID 50 ofthe postage vendor as a header of the file. In one embodiment, alltracking codes logged into file 54 include the MID number 50 assigned tothe postage vendor. Some tracking codes recorded in file 54 may containin addition to the MID number 50 a CMID number. The file 54 is sent toor uploaded into a database 56 of the postal service 42.

When tracking codes ID1, ID2, ID3 and ID4 generated by the postal vendorand including the MID number 50 of the postage vendor are detected bythe postal service 42, the tracking codes ID1, ID2, ID3 and ID4 arerecorded in a first file FTP1 in postal service database 56. When, forexample tracking codes ID1 and ID2 in return labels 34 associated withthe mailing campaign of the mortgage company and including a CMID numberindicating that the label is paid for using an account funded withfictitious money is detected by the postal service 42, the trackingcodes ID1 and ID2 are recorded in second file FTP2 in postal servicedatabase 56. The first file FTP1 and the second file FTP2 are sent to orcan be downloaded by the postage vendor central computer 30. Since thesecond file FTP2 only contains the tracking codes of labels paid for bythe account funded by fictitious money, the scanned tracking codes thatare paid for by the account funded by fictitious money are thusautomatically segregated for further processing. The segregation betweenthe tracking codes paid for by real money and fictitious money isaccomplished automatically by the postal service.

In this way each mail label (e.g., return mail label) paid for by theaccount funded with fictitious money detected in the mail stream can beaccounted for and charged to the account of the user funded with realmoney.

Therefore, the method and system described herein allow, for example,the creation and distribution of numerous serialized shipping labelswithout actually incurring the upfront cost of the postage indicium, asthe postage indicium is printed with a fictitious monetary value. Thefictitious monetary value is translated into a real monetary value bywithdrawing funds from a user's real account funded with real money onlywhen the serialized shipping label is detected in the mail stream. As aresult, this can provide cost savings for the shipper (e.g., themortgage company) as the mailing label does not have a real monetarymailing cost for the shipper until it is used for shipping a package orsending mail from point A to point B.

The method and system according to another embodiment also allow forpre-addressed labels, or labels where the destination address is filledout by hand, for example while a person is on travel.

FIG. 11 depicts a computer system for processing a mailing label asdescribed above, according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 11 shows a connection diagram for accessing a centralized postagesystem including computer server 100 associated with the postage vendorby a user's personal computer 102 via the internet 104. As shown in FIG.11, both the computer server 100 and the personal computer 102 areconnected via the internet 104. However, alternatively, the personalcomputer 102 and the server 100 can also be connected through adedicated communication line (not shown) instead of via the internet104. As it can be appreciated, in one embodiment, the computer server100 has at least one processing device 101A and at least one storagedevice (memory) 101B in communication with the processing device 101A.Although the storage device 101B is shown residing the computer server100, the storage device 101B can reside outside the server 100, forexample in another storage server (not shown). Similarly, the personalcomputer 102 comprises a processor 103A and a storage device (memory)103B in communication with the processor 103A. Various peripheraldevices can be connected to the personal computer 102. For example, asshown in FIG. 10, a printer 106 is shown connected to the personalcomputer 102. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the computer server 100associated with the postage provider is further in communication withthe computer system 108 of the postal service (e.g., USPS) via theinternet 104. However, alternatively, the server 100 and the computersystem 108 can also be connected through a dedicated communication line(not shown) instead of via the internet 104.

In one embodiment, a software application is employed by the user toaccess a web service in the server 100 to purchase and print postagelabels. In one embodiment, the software application can reside in theuser's personal computer 102. The software application can be obtainedfrom the postage vendor or other vendors having a business relationshipwith the postage vendor. For example, the software application can bedownloaded from an internet webpage of the postage vendor (e.g.,downloaded from the server 100). Alternatively, the software applicationcan be obtained in a storage medium such as a CDROM, a USB flash memoryor a PCMCIA memory card. The software application can be obtained freeof charge or for a fee. Once the software application is installed in apersonal computer 102 of the user, the software application is ready tobe used by the user to purchase postage labels.

By personal computer 102, it is meant that any computing device capableof running the software application and providing for the user access tothe internet 104 can be used, such as, but not limited to, a server, adesktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computing device, etc.Alternatively, the user does not need to install the softwareapplication on the personal computer 102. For example, the softwareapplication can be a web-based application and can be executed in thecomputer server 100 associated with the postage vendor.

The system is configured to implement the method or methods described indetail in the above paragraphs. In one embodiment, a real account isestablished at the server 100 for the user. Postage can be billed to thereal account for mailing of a mail piece with the printed mailing label.In addition, a fictitiously funded account is further established forthe user, the fictitiously funded account having fictitious money. Themailing label is provided with a serial indicium associated with thefictitiously funded account. For example, the mailing label is printedusing printer 106 of the user. When the mailing label having the serialindicium printed thereon is inducted into the mail stream, the postalservice scans the mailing label and captures information on the mailinglabel. The captured information is sent to computer system 108 of thepostal service (e.g., USPS) which in turn sends the information to theserver 100 associated with the postage provider. The server 100associated with the postage provider receives information scanned fromthe mailing label on the mail piece. The processor 101A in the computerserver processes the received information and deducts funds from thereal account of the user based upon the received scanned information.

As it can be appreciated from the above, in one embodiment, the methodand system described herein can be similar to a UPS™ or FedEx® type ofbilling system which is more or less based on a “bill-on-performancemodel” but using the existing geographically distributed resources of anational postal service such as USPS. This allows, for example, the USPSto offer billing protocols which are preferred by shippers but withoutrequiring the USPS to invest capital in new systems to handle billing ina point to point network.

Although the various steps of the method of providing or printingpostage indicia are described in the above paragraphs as occurring in acertain order, the present application is not bound by the order inwhich the various steps occur. In fact, in alternative embodiments, thevarious steps can be executed in an order different from the orderdescribed above.

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration based on what is currently considered to be the mostpractical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that suchdetail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limitedto the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to covermodifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood thatthe present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one ormore features of any embodiment can be combined with one or morefeatures of any other embodiment.

Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occurto those of skill in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventionto the exact construction and operation described herein. Accordingly,all suitable modifications and equivalents should be considered asfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A system for facilitating transaction data retrievalfrom a postage vendor system database via label generation with multiplerepresentations of a postage tracking identifier portion, the system'soperations comprising: obtaining, by a vendor computer system associatedwith a postage vendor, a carrier-specific tracking identifier uniquewithin a carrier computer system with respect to accounts recognized bythe carrier computer system; generating, by the vendor computer system,based on the carrier-specific tracking identifier, a postage trackingidentifier having a length longer than the carrier-specific trackingidentifier such that (i) the postage tracking identifier comprises thecarrier-specific tracking identifier and (ii) the postage trackingidentifier is allocated to a postage transaction and enables a mailpiece associated with the postage transaction to be tracked within thecarrier computer system; allocating, by the vendor computer system, aportion of the postage tracking identifier to the postage transaction inone or more databases of the vendor computer system; generating, by thevendor computer system, a postage value indicium identifier such thatthe postage value indicium identifier comprises (i) the portion of thepostage tracking identifier and (ii) data representing a priceassociated with the postage transaction, thereby enabling the vendorcomputer system to identify the postage transaction using (i) thepostage value indicium identifier without the postage trackingidentifier or (i) the postage tracking identifier without the postagevalue indicium identifier; and causing, by the vendor computer system,an end-user computer to be enabled to print the postage value indiciumidentifier as a first bar code on a first mail piece and the postagetracking identifier as a second bar code on a different portion of thefirst mail piece than the first bar code such that the trackable portionof the postage tracking identifier is represented at least twice on thefirst mail piece.